Travel to Hawaii? Tourists may soon have to pay a tourist tax
The proposal is one of the many ways Hawaii is planning to combat overtourism.
Gov. Josh Green has revealed plans to introduce a $25 (approx. Rs. 2,000) visitor fee when people arrive or check into the hotel, adding the US state to the rapidly growing list of destinations exploring a tourism tax policy.
“A Climate Impact Fee on visitors would provide the needed resources to protect our environment and increase awareness of the impacts of climate change,” said Gov. Green during his 2024 State of the State address explaining, “I believe this is not too much to ask of visitors to our islands. Hawaii’s natural resources, our beaches, forests, and waterfalls, are an essential part of our culture and our way of life.”
The proposal is one of the many ways Hawaii is planning to combat overtourism after a ‘visitor impact fee’ was pitched in 2023 to buy licenses for visiting natural areas like hiking trails and state parks. While the exact amount was never finalised, Green campaigned for a hefty $50 fee to “entre the state.”